The Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI) has issued a stern warning to the federal government, calling for the immediate announcement of support policies for upcoming crops and permission to export surplus sugar to save the country’s struggling agrarian economy.
Addressing a press conference, PKI President Khalid Khokhar highlighted that with wheat sowing season fast approaching, the government’s lack of action signals a clear disregard for farmers and the broader agricultural sector.
Key Demands & Issues Raised by PKI
- Wheat Support Price of Rs 5,000 / 40 kg: Terming wheat the “engine of the agricultural sector,” Khokhar urged the government to set a support price of Rs 5,000 per 40 kg, promising record-breaking production if farmers receive international market rates.
- Immediate Surplus Sugar Exports: With sugarcane acreage up by 16% and production expected to rise by 25% to 30% (cultivated over 2.454 million acres), PKI urged the government to reserve enough stock through November and immediately export the remaining surplus to avoid severe financial losses for growers.
- Fair Prices Over Subsidies: Farmers emphasized they are not seeking government handouts or subsidies, but rather fair, market-reflective prices for their yields.
- Complete Deregulation: Khokhar criticized selective intervention, stating that if the government intends to deregulate, it must do so fully across all crops rather than singling out sugarcane while strictly controlling others.
Declining Inputs & Farmer Distress
The press conference shed light on the worsening financial strain on farming families:
“Farmers are currently in deep distress… There is no worse news than the fact that our children are shying away from agriculture, seeing that the returns do not even cover the cost of production.” — Khalid Khokhar, President PKI
Due to unrecovered losses from previous harvests and escalating input costs, DAP fertilizer usage has plummeted from 2.39 million tonnes to just 1.25 million tonnes. PKI warned that failing to secure fair prices for one crop creates a domino effect, triggering financial losses across the next three consecutive harvests and threatening national food security.
